Chapter 76 You're Not Quite Normal
Lin Yao felt the crystal was heavy in his palm.
My fingers, wet with seawater, brushed against my skin; it felt cool.
"If you like it, then keep it." Xie Xingchen breathed a sigh of relief when she saw his reaction, thinking to herself that the trip was worthwhile. "When we get back, I'll have someone make a pendant for you to carry with you."
Lin Yao found it hard to describe his feelings at that moment; it was like floating lightly on pink clouds in the sky, in a dream from which he could not wake up.
But it wasn't a dream. Xie Dai's pointed lips kept poking the back of his hand, finally understanding the importance of learning to be flexible sometimes: "Let go of me, let go of me... I won't say anything more..."
"You almost crushed it, why are you so agitated?" Xie Xingchen rarely saw Lin Yao lost in thought for so long, and looked down at him slightly. "Thinking about a wish?"
As he spoke, water droplets slid down his chin and dripped onto his outstretched palm. The wound on his forehead hadn't fully healed, and now it was covered in seawater again—he was practically reckless.
Lin Yao wanted to yell at him, but couldn't bring himself to do it, feeling that it would ruin the atmosphere at this moment.
Do you like Xie Xingchen?
He had never been attracted to anyone before, and he once thought he would never understand this feeling. But the moment Xie Xingchen ran towards him, he realized that he liked her.
"Hmm, I'm thinking of a wish, but I haven't come up with one yet." Lin Yao was still in a malfunctioning state, and his answer sounded like that of a human.
Isn't this abnormal?
A mortal enemy who used to want to beat someone to death in the ring and would want to fight after just three seconds of eye contact took a long time to turn enemies into friends and live together peacefully. She even developed feelings for him.
The ideal type I made up before was someone who was both complementary and similar to me, someone I fought with yet loved.
Only now do I truly understand what's going on.
"Oh my god!" Lin Yao raised his hand to cover his face, momentarily incredulous. It was terrifying. What would Xie Xingchen think?
"No, is it really necessary to look so pained if you can't think of a wish?"
Xie Xingchen was only wearing shorts, his upper body was bare, and he was a little cold when the wind blew. He put his arm around Xie Xingchen's shoulder and walked back. "I originally wanted to make you happy, but don't put the cart before the horse."
Lin Yao's body stiffened, experiencing for the first time how intimate the gesture of arms encircling him was. His skin, still cool from the seawater, pressed against his burning neck, creating a stimulating contrast between hot and cold.
"You... only took one? Why didn't you take more?" He finally came up with a reasonable topic.
Xie Xingchen tilted his head to look at him, speaking in a coaxing tone like a child: "What's unique is precious, and if you're greedy, your wishes won't come true. But I chose the most beautiful one, and there won't be one more beautiful than it."
"You've already gone! Why didn't you get one for me too!" Xie Dai finally regained his composure and said angrily, "I want my limp to heal quickly!"
Xie Xingchen looked down at him with disdain: "You? I've only known you for a day. You're not worth me going to such lengths for, are you? You should know better."
Xie Dai: "........."
Okay, okay, if that's how you put it, I'll never help you anymore. I'll make you so angry that you'll never have a wife.
"Isn't that right?" Xie Xingchen reminded him of his current treatment. "Besides, you've already recognized Lin Yao as your master, what more could you want? Don't be too greedy as a bird."
Xie Dai, unable to bear it any longer, jumped up and screamed, "Fine, fine, you're so high and mighty, you're so great!"
Lin Yao's lips curled up slightly.
Although he didn't know how long this affection would last, or if it was just the suspension bridge effect of being stranded in the wilderness, he decided to be nicer to Xie Xingchen.
I was too harsh on people before, I need to change that.
Once inside the cabin, Lin Yao walked around and laid out a large pile of food from his gift bag in front of Xie Xingchen, then asked in a gentler tone, "Are you hungry?"
Xie Xingchen: ? ? ?
He instantly sat up straight, staring at the other person, thinking, "What the hell?"
Is the person in front of me trying so hard to put on a kind smile Lin Yao?
Lin Yao bent down, opened a large box of pastries for him, picked out a flavor he should like and handed it to him: "You still insisted on going even though you have a head injury. I'll clean your wound later."
Xie Xingchen and Xie Dai stared at each other for a second.
Is this a sarcastic remark implying that I'm causing trouble?
Xie Dai turned his head with an arrogant expression and muttered, "Serves you right. Who told you to speak rudely to me? You'll never hear a single noble and practical word of advice from me, Xie Dai."
Xie Xingchen was unaware of what was going on, but it was rare to enjoy such thoughtful service from Lin Yao, so he leaned over, slightly opened his mouth, and bit into the pastry that Lin Yao handed him, almost choking to death.
Lin Yao looked down for water again, turned on the tap, and handed it to him: "Drink."
It was like a water buffalo being shoved, then it stared at me intently, as if it wanted to burn two holes in me.
Xie Xingchen felt extremely uncomfortable.
Did the fever I had while I was away damage my brain?
Why is there such a big difference between before and after you left?
Or perhaps he's upset because he hasn't told her he's been gone for so long, and he's deliberately being sarcastic?
Xie Xingchen looked serious, took the drink and took two sips, carefully choosing his tone: "You...didn't you say you were happy to get the Wishing Crystal?"
"Happy." Lin Yao nodded. "Didn't I appear happy?"
She still looked as aloof as usual, but when the corners of her lips turned up slightly and she forced a smile without being stiff, she definitely seemed to be in a good mood.
Xie Xingchen hesitated for a second, then laughed and said, "Right? So you're being so enthusiastic towards me now to thank me?"
Lin Yao hummed in agreement, feeling a little nervous being stared at like that.
Xie Xingchen found his reaction quite novel and laughed, "No need, it's not anything valuable, you don't need to react so strongly."
Lin Yao thought to himself, "Okay, it seems he doesn't like this good approach."
Xie stood there, head bowed, grumbling as he pecked at his pastry. After a couple of bites, he choked and cried out in a strained voice, "Ah, I forgot I can't eat this kind of human food!!!"
Nobody cared.
Xie Dai, clutching his fat neck with his two wings, cried out, "I'm going to die! Isn't anyone going to help me?"
"The mechanical bird won't die." Lin Yao said this, but still kindly lifted its two legs and swung it up and down a few times in the air. "Hmm, it spat it out."
Xie Dai felt dizzy: "............You're really shaking the parts inside my stomach out."
Xie Xingchen was satisfied. "Hmm, this technique and operation are still the familiar Lin Yao."
While eating breakfast, he watched Lin Yao wash the pink fruit that Xie Dai had brought back and pop them into his mouth one by one.
"Don't eat it and get poisoned," Xie Xingchen warned. "This kind of thing is like wild mushrooms; if you eat it, you might experience hallucinations."
"How could it be poisonous! You two are on the same side now and all you do is nitpick at me!" Xie Dai paced back and forth on the table in anger. "He ate a lot while waiting for you this morning. If it were poisonous, it would have taken effect long ago."
Lin Yao nodded: "Exactly."
There were no medical supplies in the cabin, only a small box of wet wipes that came with the souvenirs. He opened it, stood in front of Xie Xingchen, lowered his head, and whispered, "Close your eyes, it might hurt a little."
Xie Xingchen slightly raised his chin, refusing to close it: "It's okay, just like this."
"Close your eyes." Lin Yao couldn't stand him staring at him like that, his back stiffened, and he commanded, "Close your eyes."
These two simple words conveyed the force of "kneeling down".
Xie Xingchen did as he was told before he lost his temper.
Yet, I felt a cool, refreshing touch gently wiping around the wound. The touch was exceptionally light, and if I had to guess the emotion behind it, it seemed to carry a hint of pity.
A minute later, she felt the movement stop, opened her eyes, and saw Lin Yao lower his head and gently blow on the wound.
"Blow on it and it won't hurt anymore."
These were the words I had said to Lin Yao when he was injured, and he had actually said them back to me verbatim.
Lin Yao is acting really strange today.
Too gentle, too considerate.
He was so strange, completely unlike himself; to be precise, he was so strange, unlike the person he was three hours ago.
Xie Xingchen watched him sit back down and continue stuffing fruit into his mouth one by one. Suddenly, he stood up and grabbed Xie Xingchen's chin.
"What's wrong?" Because he was controlling her, her mouth was pried open, and her speech became somewhat incoherent.
Xie Xingchen reached out, picked out the unchewed fruit, pinched his tongue between his fingers, and gave him a stern warning.
"Don't eat anything you shouldn't. You've definitely been poisoned for several hours now. This is really not normal."
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